'27 Dead' Bus Tragedy in China Sparks 'Anger'... Is Zero COVID Reaching Its Limit?

'In the Name of Preventing COVID-19 Spread'... Incident Occurs During Resident Transport
Authorities Do Not Disclose Passengers' COVID-19 Infection Status
"Tragedy Caused by Excessive Zero COVID Policy"

A bus carrying residents being transferred to a COVID-19 quarantine facility in Guizhou, China, overturned, resulting in 27 deaths. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Juri] Despite an apology from the local government of China for the major disaster that occurred while transporting residents under the pretext of blocking the spread of COVID-19, public criticism continues unabated.

On the 18th (local time), Lin Gang, Vice Mayor of Guiyang City, the capital of Guizhou Province, China, stated at a press conference, "It has caused enormous loss to the lives and safety of the people," and "On behalf of the city committee and city government, I express condolences to all the victims and sincerely apologize to society."

According to China's state-run news agency Xinhua and Guizhou Province, at around 2:40 a.m. that day, a bus carrying 47 people fell off a highway in Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province, resulting in 27 deaths and 20 injuries.

Guizhou provincial authorities stated that the accident vehicle was transporting COVID-19 related personnel from Guiyang City, the provincial capital.

They did not explain whether the passengers were COVID-19 infected individuals or close contacts.

So far, China has maintained a strong 'Zero COVID' policy that isolates not only close contacts but also secondary contacts once even a single infected person is confirmed.

In May, about 13,000 residents of a residential complex in Beijing were transported by bus to a quarantine hotel on the outskirts of Beijing around 2 a.m.

After the incident involving the Chinese public security, related information was announced. Photo by Baidu Capture

Chinese netizens are angry, calling this accident a tragedy caused by the excessive Zero COVID policy.

On Chinese social media Weibo, posts have appeared stating that the bus passengers were not infected individuals but people living in the same building as infected persons, intensifying the anger.

They are also criticizing the delay in holding a press conference after initially not revealing the cause of the accident, especially as evidence that the accident vehicle was a resident transport vehicle flooded the internet.

Vice Mayor Lin said, "We will comprehensively review the isolation and transportation of epidemic-related personnel and traffic safety risks to suppress the occurrence of accidents," adding, "We will cooperate with higher authorities to investigate the cause of the accident, hold those responsible accountable according to the law, and severely punish related responsible persons."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.